konstantin polenoff



(No Model.)v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. K POLENOFF MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

No. 502,103. Patented July 25, 1893.

` Hmm/Enr v QAMMAY HZH.

9 t e e h s .w e e h s 2 nL hr. O N E L 0 P K ,u d o M 0 /N\ MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Patented July 25 1893.

W/ TNESSES l. WW .V

, Afro/MHS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

.KONSTANTIN POLENOFF, OF NISHUE TAGUILSK, RUSSIA.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 502,103, dated July 25, 1893.

Application tiled September '7, 1891- Serial No. 404,920. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that I, KoNsTANTIN PoLENoEE, a Subject of the Emperor of Russia, and a resident of Nishue Taguilsk, Russia, have invented Improvements in Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specication.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a sectional side elevation of the melodrom through the center of the same. Fig. 2 is a partial plan view of the melodrom, one half of the lid being removed. Fig. 3 is an external lateral face of the melodrom mounted on its support in one fourth of the real size.

The double electro-magnets a, a (Fig. l)

'consist of a pair of iron tubes; the upper end of each tube a is slightly recessed and a square iron plate B is placed thereon provided with a hole corresponding to the edge of the tube, which plate is fixed on the tube a by means of a puncher by which the upper opening of the tube is slightly enlarged; the lower ends of the tubes are provided with screw threads on their inner surface. All the electro-magnets are mounted on a common iron bar O C whereto they are fixed by means of small copper screws d, d having dat or concave heads, the screws entering from below through holes in the bar, into the tubes of the electro-magnets; the distance between the edges of the plates B, B of the double electro-magnet is about 1.25 millimeters. Before mounting the electromagnets on their common bar O their tubes are wrapped in tracingcloth or parchment pasted to the same, and round each of them is wound a single coil of non-insulated red copper wire one millimeter diameter; on both ends of the coil annular pieces or collars of cardboard or parchment are put upon the tubes for the purpose of insulating the wire from the top plates B of the electro-magnet and from the common bar G. One end of the wire coil of each electro-magnet is led to a copperl pin e with a crooked head to which the wire is attached; the pin e enters in the corresponding hole of the copper plate f which serves as a common conductor (Figs. l and and when driven, the pin c presses the wire-end against the bar. On both the ends of the common conductor f and in Contact with the latter,brass pieces are xed inside the lateral beams of the melodrom; each of these brass pieces is provided with a threaded conic opening wherein is xed the endof aconducting Wire from the battery or other source of electricity; thus, the current can pass from one pole along the common conductors f into the coils of each electro-magnet. The other ends of the coils (on the right side of the drawings) are led between similar pins having crooked heads, which pins are driven in the right longitudinal beam of the melodrom; these pins guide the wires to bring their ends near each other and dispose them in a parallel range, as shown on the plan View (Fig. 2) in the open part of the melodrom. Each of these wire ends passes under two clamps 7L, h driven in the same beam; under each wire end, are inserted two straight hard wires c', which constitute elastic ends or terminals of the coils of each electro-magnet. The outer ends of these double springs c' t' pass freely through the holes of the guiding card-board strip j and projecting beyond touch the metallic roller K. This roller is provided with two hand-wheels Z, l at its ends; the bearings of the rollers are supported in slots in the metallic plates m, m, which are secured to the lid of the inelodrom. To the under side of one of these plates the end of the conductor of the other pole of the battery or source of electricity, is connected.

The wooden keys 71,91, of the melodrom are adapted to rest at one end, whereto a small piece o of chamois is pasted underneath, on the keys of the musical instrument, while with the other end, to which a metallic plate P is fixed by means of two screws p p2, they freely rest on the electro-magnets; between the plates P and the key n, and across the latter, a wire g is inserted so that the plate can be inclined more or less when screwing up one screw and slackening the other. The plate P consists of three parts disposed across the key and soldered together, the middle part being of iron, and both outside parts of copper. This plate constitutes the movable armature of the electro-magnet; the copper washer o', placed under the head of the eX- treme screw p2 enters into the tube of the electro-magnet, and the Wire s inserted across IOO i .Ii

the key about the middle of its length, constitutes a guide for the key. The plate P rests upon the electro-magnet at one edge only, that edge which is nearest to the inner end of the key; this edge bearing constitutes the fulcrum of the lever-key n and when the electro-magnet by the action of the current attracts the whole plate I), the key of the melodrom is also lowered, and its outer end will press on the key 5 of the musical instrument as shown in Fig. l. The melodrom is placed near the musical instrument on a separate table, or it is freely mounted on the support consisting of two lateral beamst t (Figs. 2 and 3) joined bya third longitudinal beam u, which support is adjusted to the instruments by hinges @c provided with a bolt y which can easily be taken out when the support is to be removed; the middle lateral hooks e' c' fasten the lid or top of the melodrom.

The music to be used for the melodrom consists of bands of tracing cloth or vegetable parchment in the form of a roll, these bands having slits or cuttings of various length. The bands are divided by transverse lines into times, and show in the beginning the title of the musical piece and at the sides musical signs as in music generally. The slits correspond to the notes of a scale, and their length to the duration of the tones, signifying the same as the commonly used music, viz., a whole, a half, a fourth, &c. This music is copied from the ordinary musicin the whole extent of the instrument for five, six or more octaves, and occupies a very narrow space. The roll of music is placed, when playing, on the lid of the melodrom, between the guiding-clamps A A and around a Wooden shaft B', upon the traverse wires C', C; the beginning of the music strip is passed under the shaft B, between the guiding hooks D', D and under the roller K, by the rotation of which the music is propelled, and when coming out from under the roller K the music is coiled up by itselfinto a tube within the wire rings E, E. So long as all the spring-terminals i of the coils of the electro-magnets are separated from the roller K by the music placed between them, the current is not allowed to pass to any of the electro-magnets; but as soon as the end of one of the said springs falls into the slit of the music-paper band and touches the roller, the current will pass through plate m to which one terminal is connected, through roller K, wires t', t', through the wire coils of the electro-magnets to pins c, plate f, and brass plate connected to the other termina-l. The electro-magnet thus attracts the movable plate-armature of the key, and by lowering the same key of the melodrom will press with its outer end the key of the musical instrument and hold it down for a time corresponding to the passing of the slit in the music band, over the wires t' t'. The common keyboard 3, J, Fig. 2, marked on the lid of the melodrom facilitates the reading, the cut-out music passing thereon.

I claim as my inventionl. In mechanism for acting on key-board musical instruments, the combination of a series of electro-magnets, with a series of horizontal keys above the electro-magnets, the inner ends of the keys being provided with armatures for the said electro-magnets, and resting at the inner edge of these armatures, freely upon the said electro-magnets, while the outer ends of the keys rest on the keys of the musical instrument substantially as set forth.

2. In mechanism for acting on key-board musical instruments, the combination of a bar C, a series of electro-magnets screwed thereto, a conducting platefto which one end of each coil of the said electro-magnets is connected, the other ends of the coils being brought near together in a parallel range, spring wires c in contact with each of the last named ends of the coils, and a roller K against which the outer ends of the spring wires il rest, the said roller K and plate f being electrically connected to a battery, all substan-y tially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In mechanism for acting on key-board musical instruments, the combination of an electro-magnet and an armature therefor, with a key n to which the armature is secured by two adjustable screws, a wire g, inserted between the key and the armature, between the two screws, the said armature resting freely at one edge on the electro-magnet, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. In mechanism for acting on key-board musical instruments, the combination of an electro magnet andan armature therefor, with a key n to which the armature is secured, a washer r secured to the under side of the armature and adapted to enter one of the tubes of the electro-magnet, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In an instrument for acting on key-board musical instruments, the combination of a roller K provided with a hand-wheel, with guides A', A for the roll of music, shaft B', guide hooks D D and wire rings E wherein the music after passing the roller K coils itself up substantially as set forth.

6. In an instrument for acting on key-board musical instruments, the combination of the lid with means for guiding and passing a music strip having slits therein, over the lid of the instrument, the said lid having marked thereon a key-board, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony' whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

KONSTANTIN POLENOFF.

Vitliesses:

N. TscHnKoLoFF, J. BLAU.

IIO 

